Of the 850 species of
plants 400 species are
native over 300
species are endemic
to Hawaii, found only
on the Hawaiian
island of Maui. (NPS,
nd)

HaleakalÄ National Park
By Chris Vetrano

"For me its balmy airs are always blowing, its summer seas flashing in the sun; the
pulsing of its surfbeat is in my ear; I can see its garlanded crags, its leaping cascades, its
plumy palms drowsing by the shore." ~ Mark Twian

Haleakalā National Park
Haleakalā National Park was established on August 1, 1916. “The park encompasses 230,000
acres and ranges from sea level to the summit of the earth's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at
13,677 feet. Kilauea, the world's most active volcano” (Uhler, 2007), there are also 34,294 acres
of Humid Subtropical Lowlands to Subalpine Desert. Haleakala National Park contains a great
diversity of unique plant communities. “Haleakalā, a giant shield volcano, forms the eastern
bulwark of the island of Maui. According to legend, it was here, in the awe-inspiring basin at the
mountain's summit, that the demigod Maui snared the sun, releasing it only after it promised to
move more slowly across the sky. Haleakalā means "house of the sun"; the park encompasses the
basin and portions of the volcano's flanks.” (National Geographic, nd) The land was formed by
ancient volcanos the soil is nutrient rich and contains several ecosystems within varying climate
zones. “Ecosystems are very diverse, varying from rain forest to desert scrub and coastal strand
to alpine. A spectrum of tropical environments, ranging from persistently or seasonably wet to
dry, is found in Hawaii, which explains the floral diversity. Volcanism encourages the
emergence of diversity, resulting in a mosaic of successional and climax stages throughout the
biosphere reserve.” (UNESCO, nd)
“The trail from Paliku through Kaupo Gap traverses a unique ecotone ranging from mesic
koa forest to dry shrubland to alien coastal jungle.” (NPS, nd)
Another very unique feature of the park is the Biological reserve that was created. “The upper
Kīpahulu Valley is a biological reserve (no public access) home to a vast profusion of flora and
fauna, including some of the world's rarest birds, plants, and invertebrates. Some insects and
plants evolved in the Kīpahulu Valley and live nowhere else.” (National Geographic, nd) This
region is fenced to prevent goats, pigs and deer from eating rare endangered plants. These
animals have destroyed much of the vegetation growing outside the reserve. (NPS, nd)
Interestingly, with such diversity of eco systems comes a wide variety of plants, which
climate change is slowly affecting. (Krushelnycky, Loope, Giambelluca, Starr, Drake, Taylor,
Robichaux, 2012) Aside from the iconic Silversword, (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp.
macrocephalum) there are many other species that are endangered. “Haleakalā National Park
has more endangered species than any other park in the NPS, including species that are listed as
endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service but not native to the park.” (NPS, nd)
“Research by scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory makes Kīlauea one of the best
understood volcanoes in the world, shedding light on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and the
beginnings of planet Earth.” (NPS, nd)
Here are some more interesting facts about volcanos within the park:
“Estimated Age of On-land Eruptions - Numerous small lava flows in past 30,000 years;
slopes of volcano mantled by lava flows 700,000 to 150,000 years in age.” (USGS, nd)
“Estimated Age of Inception of East Maui Volcano - About 2.0 million years ago.” (USGS,
nd)

Haleakalā National Park
The plants that inhabit the island have had many ecological obstacles to overcome through the
evolution of Maui. It’s amazing that they managed to flourish but when you consider the amount
of time they had, the reality of it comes into focus. It also says a lot about microclimates within
the park, they were conducive for the seed germination of many plant species. “Survivors had
only a tiny finite land area to occupy, and only a small fraction of that had a climate,
temperature, and exposure suitable niche habitat. These also arrived as only a few individuals,
greatly subject to problems of inbreeding. This may have been the greatest problem, for if a
species continues to inbreed fatal defects accumulate. Without new individuals to remedy this
problem some groups commonly experience many mutations. But over time these mutations
allowed successful survivors to establish in the many tiny various microhabitats.” (NPS, nd)
According to Gurevitch “A population’s extinction probability is estimated as the fraction of
replicate populations that can be expected to go extinct.” (Gurevitch, Scheiner, Fox, 2006)
Invasive plants are a problem all over the world and in Hawaii it is no different. Invasive
plants destroy the balance of an ecosystem by out preforming the local indigenous plants.
“Invasive nonnative plants like fireweed, telegraph weed, and pine trees threaten to invade
vulnerable native plant communities, destroying ancient plant assemblages and habitat for native
birds. Park staff are actively managing these species to preserve pristine native eocsystems in the
crater, frontcountry and the Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve.” (NPS, nd) “The shrubland
hosts ancient ohelo, pukiawe, and geraniums, with remnant pockets of shady 'ohia and
sandalwood ('iliahi) groves.” (NPS, nd) One of the good things about the feral goats and deer, is
they can help minimize the invasive plant species, if a program were started, I am sure they
could be put to good use. I recall my goats eating the, Brazilian Pepper (Schinus
terebinthifolius) on my farm in South Florida, where it is also an invasive species.
Here is a List of Invasive Plants found in Haleakalā National Park:


Haleakalā National Park
U.S. National Park Service (n.d.). Invasive Plants of Haleakalā National Park.
Retrieved October 28, 2013, from http://www.nps.gov/hale/naturescience/upload/InvasivePlants.pdf
U.S. National Park Service (n.d.). Plants - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National Park
Service). Retrieved October 26, 2013, from
http://www.nps.gov/hale/naturescience/plants.htm
U.S. National Park Service (n.d.). Plan Your Visit - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National
Park Service). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/index.htm
U.S. National Park Service (n.d.). Volcanoes Are Monuments to Earth's Origin, Evidence That
its Primordial Forces Are Still at Work - Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National
Park Service). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.nps.gov/havo/naturescience/volcanoes-are-monuments.htm
U.S. National Park Service (n.d.). Ungulate Threats - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National
Park Service). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.nps.gov/hale/naturescience/ungulatethreats.htm
Uhler, J. W. (n.d.). Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Information Page. Retrieved October 29,
2013, from http://www.hawaii.volcanoes.national-park.com/info.htm
UNESCO (n.d.). UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory. Retrieved October 28, 2013,
from http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=USA+32&mode=all
USGS (n.d.). East Maui volcano (Haleakala), Hawai`i. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanoes/haleakala/

Haleakalā National Park

"For me its balmy airs are always blowing, its summer seas flashing in the sun; the pulsing of its surfbeat is in my ear; I can see its garlanded crags, its leaping cascades, its plumy palms drowsing by the shore." ~ Mark Twian